Aeroplane wing



W. M. CROSS AEROPLANE WING May 12, 1931.

iledJune 22, 1928 IN VEN TOR. MMZRM Czeoss ATTORN Patented May- 12, 1931 UNITED STATES warren M. caoss, or KANSAS crrY, mssouar AEROPLAN E WING Application filed June. 22,

This invention relates to improvements in aerofoil, or aeroplane wing. IL

Among the salient objects of the invention-are to provide a wing which will have increased strength while possessing a minimum weight; to provide a wing construction which is rigid and is properly braced to withstand the strains and stresses imposed in flying; and in general to provide 'a Wing construction hereinafter more clearly defined. Figure 1 is aperspective View of the portion of the wing with the covering removed from a part of the wing to show the interior construction. Figure 2 is a view 1!; taken along the line AA in Figure 1, and Figure 3 is a view taken along the line BB in Fi urel.

Re erring to the drawings, the wing or aerofoil consists'of a skeleton frame made upfof a plurality of channel formers (1) ch are bent back upon themselves at the front of the wing to define the contour of the wing. These formers are fabricated from light durable metal such as duraluminum, or other adaptable metal. Running longitudinally to the wing, transversely to the line.of flight, are frame members (2) which may be positioned transverse on the frame and extending the length of the wing to give the frame the desired rigidity. Between the upper and lower channel formers are a plurality of vertical struts or braces (3), and diagonal braces (4;). The positioning of the diagonal and vertical braces, which are also channel members, is arbitrary but suflicient bracing is necessary between 'the upper and lower formers to give the desired stability to the frame structure. Instead of diagonal braces or struts U members or shaped braces may be used, as the method of bracing the frame by the use of rigid'bars extending between the formers of the frame forms no part of the present invention. Between the vertical and diagonal braces, and beneath the upper formers and above the lower formers are positioned and attached to the frame strips of light corrugated metal designated as (5) in the drawing. These strips run longitudinally of the wing and e0 transversely to the line of flight. They are 1928. Serial No. 287,899.

preferably welded to the formers between the intermediate braces and struts which extend from the u per to the lower former members. These sitrips are spaced apart permitting a vacancy or interval between the strips in which the braces are attached to the former members.

As suggested, the corrugated strips extend the entire length of the wing and being welded or otherwise attached to the individual formers, both upper and lower, the assembled structure takes the form of a rigid non-collapsible wing. The corrugations in the strips increase the strength of the frame of the wing which heretofore has relied merely upon the skeleton tubing for its strength. Over the complete skeleton is applied the covering (6) which may also be of light sheet metal or fabric material as desired. The novelty in the structure liesprincipally in the use of channel beams as wing formers, and channels as the struts and braces between the wing formers. These channels make a somewhat lighter and almost as rigid construction as tubing and is much less expensive to fabricate. This skeleton is reinforced by the corrugated strips of metal running longitudinally of the wing and separately attached to each of the upper and lower formers of the skeleton frame. At the rear of the wing is a 'longitudinalend frame member (7) and at the front or nose of the wing are supplementary ribs or formers (8) which increase the strength of the wingframe where the excessive pressure is im osed.

claim as my invention: 1. An aerop ane wing comprising 'a skele- W ton frame ofupper and lower formers defining the contour of the wing, struts between the former members adapted to hold the formers in spaced apart relation, corrugated sheets extending longitudinally of the wing and rigidly attached to the inside of the adjacent former members and extending for substantially their entire length, said oorrugated sheets adapted to impart rigidity to the skeleton frame, and a covering material applied to the wing skeleton and corrugated sheet outside of the former members.

2. An aeroplane wing consisting of a skeleton frame having a plurality of former members defining the contour of the wing and positioned parallel to the line of flight, braces 5 between the separate formermembers adapted to hold them in spaced apart relation, corrugated metal sheets between the braces inside of the former members and rigidly attached thereto adapted to impart rigidity to the skeleton frame, and a plain-surfaced cover applied to the outer surface of the frame and corrugated sheet.

3. An aeroplane wing comprisinga skeleton frame made up of channel beam former members defining the contour of the wing,

struts and braces between the former members adapted to hold them in spaced apart relation, and corrugated metal sheets extending the entire length of the wing, and running so longitudinal thereof and rigidly attached to the inside of the former members between the braces and struts, a plain metal sheet outside of the former members.

4. Aeroplane wing construction, comprising a skeleton frame of upper and lower former members defining the contour of the wing, b races between the former members, corrugated sheets inside of the formers and extending substantially their entire length and a plain surfaced covering outside of the formers and skeleton frame.

WALTER M. CROSSL 

